Leg Post 87
Leg Post 87 sees a young woman, Sahrazad, on her wedding night to King Shahryar. After his first wife, many years before, had been unfaithful he has always executed every subsequent wife the day after their wedding - spending just one night with them before murdering them for the crimes of his first wife. The king's vizier is Sahrazad's father and he is deeply dismayed and troubled by the event, openly weeping. When the king takes her to his bedchamber she makes the request that she be allowed to see her father and elder sister, Dunyazad, and bid them goodbye, which he allows. The pair arrive and she first bids her father farewell but then her sister laments that she would miss Sahrazad's stories, which piques the king's interest. She regales him with incredible oratory skills and by dawn, her supposed moment of execution, he stalls the execution so that she could finish the tale the following night. While the story is finished the next night, she begins a new one that is also left on a cliffhanger. This happens for one thousand days and she is spared each day thanks to the king's desire for more stories. On the final night she completes her story just before dawn breaks and is, thus, due to be killed. The king, however, recants and declares that she shall live as his wife and never be executed. He takes her in an embrace of affection but she uses the opportunity to stab him in the back and slay him. She asserts that she should never love a murderer such as he, nor allow him to go unpunished. The vizier is able to convince the medical examiner to tell the people of the land that the king died of a heart attack and they quickly adopt Sahrazad as their new monarch. Thus she became the Queen of Sheba. Post A THOUSAND AND ONE TALES The young woman kneels before the stoic-faced man, whose lined face is old beyond his middle aged years. His eyes are rimmed red, as he places the tiara upon that head of dark curls. The woman looks up at him, and rises, turning to face the crowd. Vizier: "Behold, your new queen!" The crowd dutifully cheers, but most look forward more to the bloody spectacle to follow on the morrow, when at dawn the new queen shall be executed. The shah, cold-faced, takes his new bride's hand, and they depart to the banquet. Behind them, the old vizier clenches his fists, and then forcibly unclenches them. Vizier: "Sahrazad...surely a worthless suitor would have been better than a murderous one..." No one hears him, of course. His daughter, now the queen (albeit destined to be so for scant hours), had fewer suitors than one might expect of the royal vizier's daughter. Normally there are many who seek to marry into power and influence. But Sahrazad, while not homely, can not be necessarily called beautiful either, not by the exacting standards of society. She keeps herself clean and neat, and wears the minimum amount of makeup necessary for propriety. She might be very beautiful indeed if she artfully painted her face as so many women do. But her mind is far lovelier. She is sharp and witty, learned and well spoken. And this is not always a desirable trait in the eyes of suitors in this land, in this age. One suitor however, charmed her greatly, speaking softly and bringing her gifts that were meaningful rather than hollow tokens like jewelry. Sahrazad had accepted his suit, only for his demeanor to change - he expected her to be silent and be a dutiful wife. She would have none of that, of course, and broke things off, to the scandalized shock of everyone. Shahryar: "You have more light in your eyes than my brides normally do." The king speaks to his new wife, next to him at the head of the table, as the banquet carries on. Sahrazad: "Is it not a great honor to be your queen, my lord, may you live forever? Even if only for a time?" Shahryar: "Quite. You are wise." Thus mollified, Shahryar speculates that all of his brides should be so cooperative. Perhaps this one might be worth keeping? But no. Women were witches, and could not be trusted, for his first queen had presented fair facade as well. After the feast, they retire to the king's royal chambers, an expansive and luxurious suite. Sahrazad: "My lord, may you live forever, might I be so bold as to request a small boon?" Shahryar's eyes narrow. Shahryar: "Ask it." Sahrazad: "I only wish to see my father and sister one last time, and to bid them a proper farewell, so that they may see me as a splendid queen before I die." Mollified again, Shahryar nods, again surprised. Most of his brides beg for their lives, whether directly or manipulatively. Shahryar: "That is no small boon to you, but it is a small boon for me to grant. It is done." Shortly, the old vizier and his older daughter Dunyazad arrive in the antechambers of the suite. The vizier has clearly been crying, but his eyes are dry now, albeit still red. He clasps his daughter to him, and then leaves before he can break down. Dunyazad looks suitably sorrowful, but looks worried more than upset. Shahryar does not notice this curious expression. Dunyazad: "O my sister, I shall miss the wondrous stories you tell!" Shahryar: "What is this?" Sahrazad: "I beg pardon, my lord, may you live forever. I spin petty tales as entertainment, and my sister enjoys them greatly. I confess, I enjoy telling them." Intrigued, Shahryar gestures for both Sahrazad and Dunyazad to sit. Shahryar: "I would hear one of these so-called petty tales." Sahrazad: "As my lord, may you live forever, wishes." Dunyazad: "A thousand blessings upon you, your majesty, may you live forever! I am most grateful to hear one last tale from her lips." The king does not respond, but merely looks at Sahrazad, who adjusts her gown and clears her throat. Sahrazad: "Once upon a time..." The tale that follows is one of adventure and madness, and Shahryar is utterly enthralled. Sahrazad's voice enunciates and emphasizes each syllable in just the right way to stoke excitement and fear in his heart at the proper junctures. The night passes, though the king is scarcely aware of the time, until Sahrazad pauses. Shahryar: "Well? What did he do?" Sahrazad: "I apologize, my lord, may you live forever,, but dawn has broken." Shahryar's head whips around to see the sliver of soft light shining through the curtain. Where has the time gone? Dunyazad: "Farewell, my beloved sister. I wish I could have heard the end." Shahryar: "You will." His words are so sudden they almost surprise him. Sahrazad: "My lord, may you live forever?" Shahryar: "I must attend to the business of the court. But there shall be no execution until the morrow. I must hear how this tale transpires!" Dunyazad: "A thousand blessings upon you, your majesty, may you live forever! You are generous indeed." Shahryar: "Now leave. You may return in the eve to rejoin us." Dunyazad curtsies and slips out. Shahryar fingers his beard, musing a moment, as Sahrazad remains quiet. Then he stands, stretching his limbs, and goes out. Behind him, Sahrazad allows herself a small smile. That evening, Sahrazad finishes her tale, to the king's great delight, but the night is only half gone, so he bids her tell another. It is not over at dawn, so again Shahryar stays her execution. And so this continues, night after night, as Sahrazad spins tales, ending on cliffhangers at dawn. The king conducts his business during the day, but his mind wanders to the tales that engross him so, and he is often distracted. Sahrazad takes on some of the duties that were once the queen's, back before no queen survived longer than a day. She is careful about it, not overly presuming, and Shahryar is pleased to have the burden taken off him. Court business is so tiresome compared to the stories he hears every night! For over two years, this continues. And finally, on the thousandth night, just as dawn breaks, Sahrazad concludes her latest tale. Sahrazad: "...and they lived happily ever after." Dunyazad: "Splendid! O my sister, you are an artisan!" Shahryar hesitates. It is dawn. The time for execution has come, and there is no unfinished story hanging. Shahryar: "You shall not be executed, Sahrazad." Sahrazad: "My lord, may you live forever?" Shahryar: "I have fallen in love with you, with your wisdom and your stories. I will have thee as my queen forever!" He rises, opening his arms to embrace her. Sahrazad folds herself into his arms. Sahrazad: "Your generosity and mercy know no bounds, my lord..." Shahryar grunts in pain as a dagger pierces his vitals. Sahrazad: "...may you live forever." He clutches at her, but her strike was true, and the light is already fading from his eyes. Shahryar: "W...why?" Sahrazad: "You are a killer and a fool. The latter may be suffered, but never the former, most especially not when he is meant to be the protector of his people." And then he is dead. Dunyazad: "Sister...it worked! But...will there really be no reprisals?" Sahrazad smiles tightly. Sahrazad: "You have trusted me this far, sister. Trust me a little more." Indeed, there is no reprisal. Due to the vizier's intervention, the physician states that the king died of a heart attack. Many people don't actually believe that, but no one has any love lost for the king who had become cruel since his first wife was unfaithful to him. Sahrazad has become ruler in all but name over the past thousand days, under the guise of being a dutiful queen helping her distracted king with the burdens of state. She is wise and just, and everyone loves and respects her. Thus is the thousand and first tale...that of how Sahrazad became Queen of the land known as Sheba. *** NSP: I do have a follow up post in mind for the Queen of Sheba and Solomon (no promises when it will be written), so I ask that this thread not be picked up and run with just yet, please :) Thanks! Category:Post Category:Leg Post